1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image displaying method and apparatus for reproducing visible images from image signals. This invention particularly relates to a method and apparatus for simultaneously displaying a plurality of images, which are related to one another, in a desired display form.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Techniques for utilizing filing systems have heretofore been carried out. With the techniques, a plurality of image signals representing a plurality of images are stored in a filing system, which is provided with a storage medium, such as an optical disk. When necessary, a desired image signal is read from the filing system, and a visible image is reproduced from the image signal.
In the filing systems, a plurality of image signals representing a plurality of images of a single object, such as a patient, which images are related to one another, are often stored on the storage medium. Examples of the plurality of images, which are related to one another, include a plurality of tomographic images of a single object, such as a human body, which are recorded successively, e.g. computed tomography (CT) images and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images, and a plurality of contrasted images, which are obtained by recording the images of different portions of a single object such that, for example, as in a gastric examination, the state of movement of swallowed barium from the esophagus to the stomach can be viewed. When the plurality of images, which are related to one another, are to be viewed, necessary operations have heretofore been carried out by a person, who view the images, such that the images may be reproduced from the corresponding image signals and may be displayed in a desired display form on an image reproducing means, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device. For example, the plurality of images, which are related to one another, are displayed one after another on the CRT display device. Alternatively, the display area of the CRT display device is divided into a plurality of windows, and the images, which are related to one another, are displayed respectively in the windows. As another alternative, all of the images, which are related to one another, are displayed simultaneously as index images. As a further alternative, in cases where the number of the images, which are related to one another, is 12, they are displayed by being arrayed in a display form of 3.times.4 frames.
In cases where a plurality of images are to be displayed by being arrayed in a certain display form, the operator accesses from his display system to the filing system in order to read a plurality of corresponding image signals from the filing system and temporarily stores the image signals on a storage medium of the display system. When a request for displaying the images is made, the image signals are read in units of a single image signal representing a single image from the storage medium and used for the reproduction of visible images. The reproduced images are arrayed one after another, and the images arrayed in a desired display form are thereby formed and displayed on a display means, such as the CRT display device.
However, in cases where a plurality of images are to be displayed in an arrayed form on the display surface of the CRT display device in the manner described above, it is necessary that the image signals are read one after another in units of a single image signal representing a single image from the storage means and the images are reproduced one after another on the CRT display device. Therefore, considerable time has heretofore been required in order to array and display all of the plurality of images.
It is considered to employ a method, wherein an image signal, which is composed of a plurality of image signals representing a plurality of images arrayed in a desired display form, is formed previously by a filing system, thereafter read from the filing system into a display system located on the operator side, and stored on a storage means. When a request for displaying the images is made, the images having been compiled in the desired display form by the filing system may be displayed. However, with such a method, in cases where the desired display form is to be altered to a different display form and the images are to be displayed in the different display form, the plurality of the image signals must be read from the filing system into the display system, which is located on the operator side, and an image signal representing the images arrayed in the different display form must then be formed from the plurality of the image signals. Thereafter, the images arrayed in the different display form must be reproduced from the image signal and displayed on the display system. Therefore, the operations for altering the display form cannot be kept easy.